


Revival of the fittest

by Prawnperson



Series: Submarine series [14]
Category: Don’t Starve (Video Game)
Genre: ? - Freeform, Death, F/M, Gore, Mild Angst, Reunion, Whump, just “Hey you’re back”, not in a romantic way though, or a sexy way, revival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 04:40:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19349686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prawnperson/pseuds/Prawnperson
Summary: Death is impossible to avoid but easy to fix.





	Revival of the fittest

WX’s metal body falls to the ground with an unceremonious thud, just like it always does. Every time they die, it’s always the same. Their frame crashes onto the grass, or rock, or sand, and a few moments later, fades to a bleached out skeleton. Walani has seen it happen many times, and it never fails to unsettle her.

This time, it’s something and nothing that brings about their demise. A jarring reminder of just how dangerous the seemingly humdrum can be in this hellish land. They had gotten cocky and attempted to take on a tree guard by themselves, leaving them just weak enough to shamble back home, only for them to stumble upon a hound mound, full of vicious, snarling dogs that chased them to the outskirts of the desert and, at last, killed them. She had escaped with a few scratches and a backpack full of living logs and hound's teeth. As morbid as it may be, there's no sense in them dying in vain.

Walani can feel WX hovering over her as she sets about crafting a telltale heart. They seem apprehensive, eager to get back to the land of the living. 

She can't blame them.

She pulls out a spider gland from her backpack-the last one-and sits cross legged on the ground. She slits the flesh of the gland open, folding it out with a grossly satisfying squish. She wipes her hands down on the grass, the little shiver of disgust from WX not escaping her. A few blades of grass are required to weave and knot around the gland, binding it into a taut shape, before she has to carry out her least favourite part. 

The others always cut across their palms whenever they do this. She can’t understand why. It makes far too much blood for the job and always sets the nerves in her hands stinging. She slice across her thigh, making a laceration in the fabric of her trousers that she’ll have to sew later (or better still, get someone else to sew). The blood flows quick and dark from the wound. Walani presses the makeshift heart against it and watches, fascinated as the chunk of meat begins to pulse in her hands. Grody, but cool. 

Despite her best efforts to somehow stem the flow of blood, it carries on, making her vision swim ever so slightly. Whatever. She can deal with it later, right now she has to give the heart to WX so they can get back to camp before dusk. She holds it out to the hovering form, and WX only hesitates for a second before seeping into the heart. There's a little quiver as the heart beats faster and faster, growing warmer in her hands, WX's frame forming around it. 

WX’s new body lands just as unceremoniously as it did when they died, flat on their back and with a cry of outrage. They immediately start complaining about how disgusting the whole process is, how they're far above this shoddy form of revival. She allows herself a private chuckle at that, trying not to focus on the spinning of the world as the blood flow only begins to slow.

WX-78 mutters out an almost inaudible "ACCEPTABLE." Whenever they catch sight of the state that Walani's in. They feel almost guilty about it. 

Neither of them are in the best condition whenever they shamble back to base. WX blinks rapidly at the shadows creeping towards them, Walani's eyes half lidded and glassy, skin pale and clammy. They're leaning on each other for support by the time they reach the wooden gates. Wilson assesses them for any worse injuries, and upon finding them both fine, he wipes Walani's cut down and wraps a honey poultice over it, sending them off to get some food for themselves. WX pulls Walani closer into their side and she falls heavily against them, stumbling over to the crockpot a few metres away. They seem to be angry at Wilson for some reason. They've been acting strangely ever since he tended Walani's cut. He can't think why.

At least they had gotten the living logs he asked for, although they’re now lacking in the essential spider glands needed for revival. 

A spider hunt will have to take place soon enough. Wilson assumes Walani won’t mind taking Warly out in a few days time.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’m trying to get things going a little bit more now! Hopefully the pacing doesn’t change too dramatically. As always, comments are always greatly appreciated and really keep me motivated!


End file.
